Tecma

Anyone ever install a Tecma toilet? Thinking about replacing one of my Vacuflushes.

We currently have a Tecma Silence aboard our boat, and have had problems from the start. Every six months, regular as clock work I have to pull the head, remove the bowl discharge hose, and clean a tiny orifice that bleeds air out of the pump. I now have a spare hose so the process goes more quickly, but what a PAIN! Try going to the PassageMaker site, and searching on "the trouble with Tecma", perhaps in the archives.* It took me a couple years to determine what the problem was, and it's clearly a design flaw that has since been resolved, but I have no idea if the redesigned hose is available in the U.S.* A dealer from Italy saw my post, and sent me a photo of the redesigned hose, but I have never been able to get one here in the states.* ..........Arctic Traveller

Just curious........what is wrong with the Vacuflush?

Doc, I haven't had problems with mine, and it is about 3 years old, but maybe I am just lucky.*

Arctic, what happens with the little hole gets plugged?* What are the symptoms?

The trouble with Tecma

Delfin wrote:


Arctic, what happens with the little hole gets plugged?* What are the symptoms?

Click to expand...

When the pump empties the bowl, it sucks air at the end.* That air forms an airlock if it can't bleed off, so on the next flush, the pump cavitates* and doesn't empty the bowl.* The discharge hose has a cross connect hose that is designed to bleed off the air after every flush, but it has a really small orifice that continually plugs up.* Every six months I have to pull the toilet (and no matter how much I try to empty the bowl, something always spills) I have two hoses now, so all I have to do is switch hoses, and clean the other one when I have time.* Tecma told me to regularly use CLR to keep it open, but that stuff is expensive, and caused problems with my treatment system. As I said, there is a new hose design, but so far, all I have is a photo of it.* It uses a larger molded hose that must have a much larger I.D.*** Tecma blames my problems on the Alaskan silt, but clearly the fix has been engineered. They should do a recall.* ...........Arctic Traveller

Mike,

I would like a taller and larger bowl for one and two the Vacuflush vacuum generators are in a small space that I can't fit into without extreme contorsions. I used to get down there when there was no Vacuflush repairman within hundreds of miles (upper Tenn Tom). I have since had a hip replacement and going down there while at anchor or in an emergency is impossible. Here in SW Florida, I think that getting a tech will not be so difficult.

I thought the Tecma was more trouble free. Maybe not after reading the above.

On the first issue, I wonder if I could get a taller, larger Vacuflush toilet that would fit on my existing base unit? That would be an easy install. The reason for this is the hip issue again...especially the taller part.

Doc

If the main issue is something taller, you might try a thicker handicap seat.

Red,

Good idea. The Vacuflush that I have is pretty small though...compact model (I'm not). I never have liked it.

-- Edited by Doc on Sunday 21st of March 2010 03:16:55 PM

Doc wrote:


I thought the Tecma was more trouble free. Maybe not after reading the above.

Click to expand...

What I posted was just MY experience, yours may vary.* Techma claims to have never heard of the problem, but strangely they engineered a fix for it anyway.* I also had another problem with Tecma, this time on a different. boat, and a different model.* If you read the story about the Scorpius in the March 2010 issue of PassageMaker magazine, you might remember the part where the toilet flooded the crews quarters.* While we were at dinner, the thing kept running, and once the holding tank filled, it overflowed and pumped most of our potable water into the bilge.* Once I found the problem, I was astounded!* It turns out that after you remove the toilet, and turn it upside down, deep inside is a ton of electrical equipment, including a motor, a big black box that contains micro switches, relays, an electric clock motor, cams and more.* IN A TOILET!* When you press the flush button, a clock motor starts running, turning adjustable cams that contact micro switches controlling relays and turning on the water solenoid and macerator.* If the motor stops running in the middle of the cycle, the water continues to flow, with predictable results.* A sticking micro switch will do the same thing.* Fortunately for us, there was a complete set of spares aboard, and once the mess was cleaned up, it only took a couple hours to get things working again.* I later ordered another set of spares and I can only say, thank god I didn't have to pay for them, they were REALLY expensive. * When talking with the Tecma rep, he mentioned that it was probably a bad design, and is no longer offered.* I'm not sure why they thought a ton of electrical / mechanical stuff was needed under the toilet, but I guess they finally saw the light.** This has been my only experience with Techma, yours may vary........................Arctic Traveller

*

While on the Tecma topic, I saw all the parts to a Tecma in a Box at Defender yesterday for $100. Sign says everything is there(!) the bowl was cracked in shipping. If anyone is interested, I will ask what model the parts go to.

Rob

Datenight
37' Sedan